Railway trapdoor lock mechanism



T. C. CORK'. RAILWAY TRA'PDOOR LOCK MECHANISNI. APPLICATIN- FILED NOV. 30| |921. 1,405,496. Patented Feb. 7, 1922;.

NT GFFlLCLEfS TUDOR o. CORK, or NEWv YORK,N.,Y., .assIGNnTo AMNRICANoAn AND' FOUNDRN COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or NNW JERsEyg j i RAILWAY TRAPDOOR LOCK MECHANSM.-

` Application filed November To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TUDORC. Coram-residing at New York city, county and State of New York, and being a citizen 'of the 'United States, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in a Railway Trapdoor Lock Mechanism, of whichthe lfollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeV and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which' illustrate the/preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention'is not limitedto the exact detailsl of construction shown anddescribed, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims wil Occur to persons skilled in the art.A

. In said drawings: 1 Figure 1 is a cross-section 'of the end sill of a passenger-train car vestibule platform showing my improved trap door locking and opening mechanism in operative position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the mechanism'showing a portionbroken away along line 2 2 of Fig. 5 to better villustrate the disposition of the enclosedworking parts; Figure 3 is a longitudinal central section through the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2 showing theV locking bolt and door lifting lever assembled with the operating plunger;

Figure f1 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated bythe arrow; and

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on line 5-'5 of Fig. 3 through the door retaining portion of the bolt and the door lifting lever.

My invention relates to trap door opening and locking mechanism, andv particularly to such mechanism adapted for use in connection with platform trap doors of passengertrain cars.

One object of my invention is to provide means for releasing and partially raising platform trap doors from their horizontal closed position over the platform steps.

Another object is to provide ineansfor partially raising such doors automatically upon manipulation of Vassociated door locking elements.`

vIn said drawings, 10 represents the vestibule end f wall; 11, the vestibule platform floor upon which is mounted the platform doorlocking mechanism 12 adjacenta free so, 1921. serial Nbysiassw.vv

toward theend wall of the caribotilyrlv V- `The trap door may `be 'releasedbyan'opi Specification of Letters iPatent. l y Patented. Febi erator on the platform byl means "off-the "El mechanism* 12. The mechanism is'provide'd with an operating plunger 14C/,extending up? wardly from within the casing15,the parts being actuated upon depressing thepliin.

ger 14. For thisA purpose, the plunger 1s proafford an inclined plane face 17 for'engage'- ment with a` complemental inclinedfface 18 on the sliding bolt 19 withincasingl 15 andf'in l I, i

yvided with an enlarged portion 16 shaped to lar in cross-section, having a .top wall" 25, i'

side walls 26,l and bottom wall 27. VRearvwall 22 closes one end of saidcasin'g, but the pposite end is 4open'toreceive the' variouselements of the lock mechanism." The topwall 25 and the bottom-.wall 27 ofthe casing are provided respectivelyVV with alined openings 25H'and 27a to receive-and guidelthe plun er rod 14,' opening 2765 being somewhat'larger than opening`25f tofadmitplunge'r 121 over its enlargement 16. i j

The bolt moves between the' walls" of the casing and comprises a skeletonized,body having a stop wall 28 extending betweenthe side walls 26 ofthe casing and providing abutments for one end of the springs 20,' vsaid partition having a vportion thereof' functioning to check abnormal outward movement of the bolt uponengagement with another 'part hereinafter to be described. The'bolt Vis also provided with a' nose portion29 v,beveled'oii i '1 its upper outer side as shown {'at SOQj'and' spaced from Stop 91128. Portions 28f2$1d 29 are connected'` byY Spcedphmgel: yke members 31 tending from the nosepiece 29 rearwardly'to connect `with Vthe inclined portion 1S and to 'guide and connect-with plunger 14. 1'- 1` 'fifa-g vThe bo'lt is so arranged '.withinf thefc'a's.-

ing 15 that beveled portion 30 thereof*Pfol` trudes beyond the casing as shown inFigs. l

1, 2, and 3, and in the path ofthe free edge of the tra door. Pivotally held within the casing 15 y pin 32 is a bell-crank lever 33 havingfan arm 34: extendingV upwardly between bolt-'portions 28 and 29 and a trap door lifting arm ositioned below and spaced from bolt portion'29 and under the free edge of the trap door, so that the trap door Akwhen closed twill be held with its freeV edge in the space thus provided.

As shown in Fig. 3, arm 34E of the bell crank-'lever 33 bears against. stop wall 28 and serves to checkabnormal outward movement of the bolt 19'under the lpressure of springs 20. TheI tendency of the bolt ta move `outwardly under the action of the springs will causeY the inclined wall portion 18,0f the boltto 'bear with sufficient pressure against theinclinedplunger face 17 to support the plunger 14C in the full line position shown in Fig. 3, with its enlargement 16 lodgedwithin pocket 36 in the top wall 25 of the casing, said pocket being designed to preYentrota-tion of the plunger rod to insure Y the f u'll 'lgine positions shown in Figs. 2 and' that lthe inclined plunger face 17 will always be presented towards inclined wall 18 on the bolt vand inposition to engage the same. lt will be noted lthat arm 35 rests against floor 27-of the casing,and that the upwardly eX- tending arm'34f of the bell crank 33 engages stop -wall'28 of the bolt but is spaced fram nose portion 29 topermit retraction of the bolt from its position over the free edge of the trap door in advance of trap door `lifting movement of arm 35. Y

In operation, assuming the parts to be in 3, a downward movement of plunger 14 will cause the inclined face 17 on the plunger rod enlargement 16 'to slide upon inclined face 18011 the bolt and force saidl bolt away Vfrom the trap fdoor'13 until the nose piece 29 recedes from its position above the free edge vof the trap' door and is drawn into its retracted position within the casing 15 as indicated in Fig. 3. Y During the progressof the bolt 19 to full retracted position the rear facerof the nose piece 29 will strike arm 34 of the bell crank lever 33 causing said levefrto rotate upon its pivot 32 and carry the'door opening arm 35 upwardly against Y Y. the underside of trap'door 13 to partially open the same,'at the completion of'which operation pl-unger rod 14 will have Vbeen depressed 'tothe broken line position indicated in Fig. 3.

bell crank vlever 33 when further outwardV movement thereof is checked, bringing the -ines portions ofthe spring elements, the

plunger rod, andthe trap doorlifting lever, including means for checking abnormal outward movement of the bolt.

To insure stability of the mechanism during all stages of operation andto firmly secure same to the floor of the car platform, casing 15 is provided with integral iianges 37 projecting outwardly from side walls 26 thereofandperforated as at 38 to receive suitable fastening devices.

What l claimis: Y

1. A locking mechanism for platform trap doors comprising a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the'trap. door, a trap door engaging bolt slidable within said casing, and means associated with said bolt for checking .abnormal outward movement thereof, said means being operable'by said bolt to partially open the trap door.

2. A locking mechanism for platform trap doors comprising a casing secured V'ad jacent the free edge ofthe trap door, a l

trap door engaging bolt slidable within said casing, and means associated with said bolt for checking abnormal-outward movement thereof, said means being operable by said bolt to partially open the trap door, and bolt retracting means. v

3. 1n a locking mechanism for platform trap doors comprising ya casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, a bolt slidable within said casingy having an eind adapted to rest in position above said trap door, means for yretracting said bolt, and other means associated with said bolt for `checking abnormal outward movement thereof, said bolt checking means being operable bythe bolt to partially open the ,trap

door.

1. In a platform trap door locking mechanism comprising a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, a skeletonized bolt slidable within said casing and having tb tpartially open the trap door.

5. 1n a platform trap door locking mech- Y anism comprising a casing. secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, a skeletonized bolt slidable within said casing and provided with a nose portion adapted to engage the trap door and a wall portion spaced from said nose portion, and means associated with said wall portion to check abnormal outward movement of said bolt, said means being operable by the nose portion of the bolt to partially open the trap door.

6. r1`he combination with a trapdoor, of

a locking mechanism therefor comprising an outer casing, a trap door engaging bolt slidable within said casing, and bolt checking means, said means being operable by said bolt to partially raise the trap door.

7. The combination with a trap door, of a lockingmechanism therefor comprising an outer casing, a trap door engaging bolt slidable within said casing, means operable by said bolt for partially raising the trap door, said means being adapted to check abnormal outward movement of said bolt.

8A In a platform trap door locking mechanism including a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, abolt slidable within said casing and having one end in position above the trap door when closed, and a bell crank lever operable by said bolt to partially open the trap door, said bell crank lever being further adapted to check abnormal outward movement of said bolt, and bolt retracting means.

9. In a platform trap door locking mechanism including a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, a skeletonized bolt slidable within said casing, spring abutments on said bolt and casing, a spring withf in said bolt and casing and seated against said abutments, bolt actuating mechanism in the casing at one end of said bolt, and means operable upon actuation of said bolt to partially open the trap door, said means being adapted to check abnormal outward movel ment of said bolt.

10. In a platform trap door locking mechanism including a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, a skeletonized bolt slidable within the casing, spring abut ments on said bolt and casing, and a spring within said bolt and casing and seated against said abutments, and bolt retracting means.

11. In a platform trap door locking mechanism comprising a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, a skeletonized bolt slidable within the casing in position to engage the trap door, spring abutments on said bolt and casing, a spring within said bolt and casing and seated against said abutments, bolt retracting means, and means operable by said bolt to partially open the trap door.

12. In a platform trap door locking mechanism comprising a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, a skeletonized bolt slidable within the casing in position to engage the trap door, spring abutments on said bolt and casing, a kspring within said bolt and casing and seated against said abutments, bolt retracting means, and means said casing, bolt retracting means compris-v ing a plunger having an inclined face portion, and a yoke portion on said bolt embracing said plunger and having an inclined face portion adapted for engagement with the inclined face portion on the plunger.

15. In a platform trap door locking mechanism comprising a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, spring abutments on the casing, a skeletonized bolt slidable within said casing and having an extended movement checking wall providing spring abutments, springs within said bolt and casing supported on said abutments, yoke members extending rearwardly from said checking wall, and bolt retracting means extending through said casing and between said yoke members.

16. In a platform trap door locking mechanism comprising a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, a skeletonized bolt slidable within said casing and having a nose portion adapted to engage the trap door, and means `associated with said bolt for checking abnormal outward movement thereof and spaced from said nose portion, said means being operable upon engagement with the nose portion of said bolt to partially open the trap door. j

17. In a platform trap door locking mechanism comprising-a casing secured adjacent the free edge of the trap door, a skeletonized bolt slidable within said casing and having a nose portion adapted to engage the trap door, and means associated with said bolt for checking abnormal outward movement thereof and spaced from said nose portion, said means being operable lupon subsequent engagement with vthe nose portion of said bolt to partially open the trap door.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

, TUDOR C. CORK. Witnesses:

J. P. DAMM, J. H. VERMEULEN. 

